Plastic Soldier Review - Revell British Infantry

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Revell

Set 02571

British Infantry

All figures are supplied unpainted (Numbers of each pose in brackets)

Stats

Date Released	1992
Contents	48 figures
Poses	14 poses, 1 horse pose
Material	Plastic (Medium Consistency)
Colours	Orange, Grey

Average Height

24 mm (= 1.73 m)

Review

When Revell chose to create some Napoleonic sets, they followed the pattern of several other manufacturers by concentrating on Waterloo, and specifically the British and French armies present that day. With less than ideal sets of British infantry already in the market from Airfix and Esci, it was hoped that Revell would produce something better.

First impressions of this set are positive, and certainly mark an improvement on the earlier efforts from other manufacturers. Inevitably the poses reflect the common view of British soldiers in square, so there is only one man advancing. There are plenty in the act of firing or standing with bayonets fixed, and there are also some interesting 'extras'. Two officers are included, one of whom is mounted. There is also an ensign with a colour, and though the colour is perhaps a little small this is a good piece. The sergeant with his spontoon is a useful figure, though this figure does suffer from extra areas of plastic. The drummer is perhaps the pick of the bunch, with a properly proportioned drum and a relaxed stance as he waits for the next order to beat out. The sapper also deserves special mention as this was the first time such a figure had been modelled, and a fine job was made of it.

The uniform and equipment are all present and correct. As usual Revell did its homework and underlined the excellent result with good attention to detail and fine sculpting. For example, these were the first British infantry to actually include the strap by which their canteens were held.

Though the poses are excellent, this set includes more than the average amount of excess plastic in areas where the mould cannot reach. Some will not see this as a problem, while others will want to trim this away before use. This is the price for interesting and realistic poses - the alternative is the generally 'flat' poses of Esci, where there is almost no excess plastic.

This is certainly a marked improvement on previous British infantry sets, and Revell did their subject justice with this good collection of figures. We would have preferred to see more advancing poses, and perhaps a marching one as well, but their absence is easy to understand. Undoubtedly the best set on this subject so far available.

Ratings

Historical Accuracy	10
Pose Quality	9
Pose Number	8
Sculpting	9
Mould	8